So I just randomly came across this commercial for “Hiller Plumbing and Heating” out of Knoxville, Tennessee, and this is the most insane thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I have no idea how this clip — which was uploaded to YouTube over two years ago — has not gone viral yet, with just over 3,000 page views at the time of this writing. I have a feeling that’s about to change because this is a MUST WATCH.
This clip has everything, so where to begin. OK, first of all, if the name of your company is only one similar-looking letter difference from the name of one of mankind’s most notorious dictators responsible for the genocide of over five million people, a sans serif font can be your friend! Although I’m guessing that’s not a top concern, since the singsongey chant in the jingle doesn’t leave much room for interpretation.
And then there’s the whole matter of these “happy face trucks.” DO NOT WANT. That Hiller plumber being followed around by a nightmarish yellow happy face comes off less like a friendly neighborhood plumber and more like a David Berkowitz-style serial killer, being plagued by terrifying schizophrenic hallucinations which drive him to fill up that happy face truck with the corpses of his victims.
In summary, Schizophrenic Hitler Plumbing and Heating: Hey, focus groups! They’re not so bad.
